CHP to go high court to annul charter changes

ANKARA

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced that it will appeal to the Constitutional Court for the annulment of the government-supported vote on constitutional amendments, on the grounds that ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies breached the principle of “secret voting” for the package. 

“I call on the judges of the Constitutional Court. You should protect the constitutional articles on which alterations cannot even be proposed. You should protect the rule of law. This is the duty of each and every citizen of this country, particularly judges,” CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told his parliamentary group shortly after the 18-article amendments were approved in the early hours of Jan. 21. 

He said his party would now apply to the high court to annul the entire package. 

“At the point where we have arrived, we have serious concerns. Why? Lawmakers who have been elected to represent the people have signed the constitutional amendments without seeing them. They cannot be qualified as real lawmakers. Those who represent the [presidential] palace cannot represent the people,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. 

 “Jan 21, 2017 is an important date with regard to our democratic history. This is the date when the parliament handed its powers over [to the presidency]. This is also important with regard to our national War of Independence. This is the date that marks treason against the parliament by itself,” he added. 

Kılıçdaroğlu said his call to stand against these changes concerned the entire Turkish people, regardless to which political party they vote for, as the matter was about the country and its future. 

“We will continue our struggle. We have to say ‘No’ to these changes for our country. This is not only the CHP’s issue, but the issue of everybody. I call on all my citizens: Let’s all together protect our country, our democracy and our republic,” he added. 

“I am sure that our people will break the game that was played at parliament,” the CHP head said.